Use your vote on 4 June

Vote to keep out the BNP in the European Elections

A message to teachers from NUT Acting General Secretary Christine Blower

The British National Party (BNP) is planning to stand candidates in all regions in the European elections in June 2009 and is holding fundraising and campaigning activities across the country. The collapse of support for the UKIndependence Party and the current worsening economic crisis mean that there is a real and present danger of the BNP increasing its votes and gaining seats on 4 June. Recent votes received in several regions including the North West (where party leader Nick Griffin is heading the BNP list), Yorkshire and the Midlands indicate a significant threat of the BNP gaining European Parliament seats in these and other areas. This would represent a major electoral breakthrough and would give them access to huge resources and influence, greater respectability, and the ability to work with other far right and fascist parties in Europe.

Last year the NUT set up a political fund. The Union made it clear that the fund would be used solely to oppose racist and fascist ideology. I’m proud that this Union can now proclaim a message loudly and clearly that we oppose the BNP. We stand for a fair and just society. We stand for HOPE not Hate. We stand for equality and respect. These are not the values of the BNP.

The BNP’s racist and fascist views are at odds with the aims of an education service that strives for the liberation of every learner’s potential irrespective of age, class, gender, sexual orientation, disability, ethnic origin or religion.

We must not allow a low turnout to let the BNP win seats. I ask every NUT member and every teacher to do everything they can to ensure that the BNP is defeated in the elections on 4 June.

The BNP has launched a racist campaign with a pamphlet ”Racism Cuts Both Ways" and is touring areas with a BNP ad truck, in an attempt to put its racist ideas to the widest possible audience. We believe that the BNP’s intention will be to whip up racism and division.

The BNP is on the verge of a major breakthrough. Indeed, had it not been for the surge of support for UKIP, and concerted campaigning against the BNP, it is likely that the BNP would have gained MEPs in 2004.
The BNP is winning more votes than ever before, is represented on more councils than ever before and is poised to make a major intervention into national politics.
This situation is not inevitable. It will require a large, coordinated and united effort by everyone who supports democracy and is opposed to discrimination against any group to reverse the rise of the BNP.

HOPE not Hate (Searchlight’s campaign against the BNP and other racists and fascists) is working to increase turnout in the European elections so that the BNP’s percentage vote falls short of that needed to win seats. HOPE not Hate recognises that people, communities and society as a whole face problems, but that the BNP is not the answer and would make these problems much worse. The campaign works to expose the truth about the BNP and, by democratic means, to prevent it gaining electoral success.

HOPE not Hate Union Friday – 15 May 2009

On Friday 15 May the HOPE not Hate campaign is calling a trade union day of action as part of the campaign to prevent the BNP from winning seats in the European elections. The intention is to get hundreds of union branches doing some activity on this day, in what will easily be the biggest show of opposition to racism and fascism by trade unions in recent years.

The greatest strength of unions is their members, so on Union Friday the campaign will be encouraging union branches to target their members. Where this is not possible, branches are urged to carry out an activity in their vicinity.

For more information go to

Activities organised by Unite Against Fascism over the coming weeks include:

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• Unite Against Fascism Mass National Days of Action. Involving mass leafleting and campaigning in our city centres across the country against the BNP on:
Sat 2nd –Sun 3rd May
Sat 30th –Sun 31st May.
• Large events in city’s such as Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Stoke, London etcwith the UAF Ad Truck urging people to register to vote by 19th May and use their vote on 4th June.
• Joint work with NUS to engage students in a voter registration drive and UAF activity, launched at NUS national delegates’ conference.
• Joint Faith Leaders Forum and joint leaflet with UAF– will be held in run up to the elections – a multi-faith response to the BNP threat. UAF will work with JCORE, MCB, CCRJ and other faith organisations.
• Joint badges, stickers and posters with unions which members can wear.
• Media adverts to reach millions in the run up to the elections
• Hundreds of thousands of leaflets to be distributed around the country up to 4th June, and in particular on above national days of action against the BNP
For more information, go to

The Love Music Hate Racism Festival 2009 (This year’s national LMHR carnival) will be held on Saturday 30 May in the Britannia Stadium, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire.

Tickets for this event are £10 and can be obtained via scfcdirect.com or gigantic.com or by calling 08716 632007.

For more details on this and other LMHR events in the lead up to 4 June go to